Restructure Rail Rally

Organised by the Australian Services Union
Belmore Park

These are dark days for public transport. Our public rail system should be world class. But under the present minister, Michael Costa commuters cant be sure if the train will arrive and rail workers cant be confident that they will retain their job.

Lets remember that when the Coalition parties were in power things were no better - rail lines were closed lines, workers sacked, and the corporate knowledge of rail services in this state discarded.

The Greens believe each generation is responsible for the upkeep of public services. The next generation should not be robbed of their heritage by short sighted politicians.

Our duty is to maintain and preferably pass on improved rail services. We have no right to dismnatle what our forebears created.

The Greens welcome ever opportunity to work with rail workers and their unions and we will continue to say to Labor MPs - we are ready to cooperate with you when you show a commitment to public services and public sector workers.

As part of the Greens support public transport campaign I have travelled in the north, west and southern highlands, meeting workers and catching trains to talk to commuters.

And people are doing it tough because of Minister Costa. At the Grafton rail depot I met workers with 197 years experience between them. This meeting was just before Australian Rail Track Corporation Act went through and this was causing them considerable angst. Some of the workers explained that they were so stressed about their future they had taken sick leave.

This is an ugly piece of legislation Costa pushed through a few months ago. It clearly shows the government's game plan - job security is thrown to the wolves, responsibility for the main freight lines is handed to the federal government, and corporate knowledge built up over decades is lost to short sighted policies.

The Greens obviously back an integrated rail system. but we campaigned across the state against this ARTC legislation because it is another way to dismantle a once fine rail system.

The agenda here is to pass maintenance to the federal government in order to save millions of dollars. Treasurer Egan and Transport Minister Costa see this as essential so they can preserve this state's AAA rating. The NSW government should be doing its job and paying for the rail maintenance. But that would mean borrowing money and this government is obsessed with avoiding debt repayment.

The irony is that while the Carr government refuses to borrow to maintain the rail system this is exactly what ARTC, the body that now has control of our main freight lines, will do. The ARTC plans to take out loans to fund capital investment.

Our rail services can be saved. When Premier Wran came to power in 1976 he turned around much of the destruction of the Askin years.

The Greens ready to step up our work with unions, commuters and Labor members. Public services are a right and a responsibility. The future is public.

These are dark days for public transport. Our public rail system should be world class. But under the present minister, Michael Costa commuters cant be sure if the train will arrive and rail workers cant be confident that they will retain their job.

Lets remember that when the Coalition parties were in power things were no better - rail lines were closed lines, workers sacked, and the corporate knowledge of rail services in this state discarded.

The Greens believe each generation is responsible for the upkeep of public services. The next generation should not be robbed of their heritage by short sighted politicians.

Our duty is to maintain and preferably pass on improved rail services. We have no right to dismnatle what our forebears created.

The Greens welcome ever opportunity to work with rail workers and their unions and we will continue to say to Labor MPs - we are ready to cooperate with you when you show a commitment to public services and public sector workers.

As part of the Greens support public transport campaign I have travelled in the north, west and southern highlands, meeting workers and catching trains to talk to commuters.

And people are doing it tough because of Minister Costa. At the Grafton rail depot I met workers with 197 years experience between them. This meeting was just before Australian Rail Track Corporation Act went through and this was causing them considerable angst. Some of the workers explained that they were so stressed about their future they had taken sick leave.

This is an ugly piece of legislation Costa pushed through a few months ago. It clearly shows the government's game plan - job security is thrown to the wolves, responsibility for the main freight lines is handed to the federal government, and corporate knowledge built up over decades is lost to short sighted policies.

The Greens obviously back an integrated rail system. but we campaigned across the state against this ARTC legislation because it is another way to dismantle a once fine rail system.

The agenda here is to pass maintenance to the federal government in order to save millions of dollars. Treasurer Egan and Transport Minister Costa see this as essential so they can preserve this state's AAA rating. The NSW government should be doing its job and paying for the rail maintenance. But that would mean borrowing money and this government is obsessed with avoiding debt repayment.

The irony is that while the Carr government refuses to borrow to maintain the rail system this is exactly what ARTC, the body that now has control of our main freight lines, will do. The ARTC plans to take out loans to fund capital investment.

Our rail services can be saved. When Premier Wran came to power in 1976 he turned around much of the destruction of the Askin years.

The Greens ready to step up our work with unions, commuters and Labor members. Public services are a right and a responsibility. The future is public.